Horse-collar.



J. '1). ABRAM.

HORSE GOLLAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY J. D. ABRAM.

HORSE COLLAR;

APPLICATION FILED 53M. 1, 1909.

Patented May 23, 1911.

HIV/Y/IA WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

JOHN DIXON ABRAM, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

HORSE-COLLAR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DIXON ABRAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Collars, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in horse-collars connected with thedraft riggin of a harness; and has for its objects, first, to limit thedraft-pressure of the collar to the less prominent and muscular parts ofthe animals shoulders; second, to attain automatic adjustment in heightat the throat during draft and avoid the choking down of the animal,without resorting to great particularity in fitting the collar forvertical length; third, to facilitate the automatic continuous andindependent adjustment of the opposite side-halves of the collar to themovements of the annual giving perfect freedom of shoulder action whiletraveling; fourth, to substitute a pad-tug for the ordinary collar-pad,after-Wale or collar-belly, and provide an adjustable rigid supportwhereby said pad-tug is adjusted to different forms of shoulders; fifth,to provide a main collar body consisting of opposite side-halvesconnected laterally adjustable toward and from each other with a doublejointed top and separable lock coupling at the bottom or throat; andsixth, to provide an independent adjustable support to retain the collarat the proper height while out of draft; these with other minor objectsmore fully hereinafter set forth, I attain by the mechanism illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective backand edge view of the collar uncoupled at the bottom or throat end, oneof the pad-tugs being removed to disclose the contrivance for adjustingbending and supporting said padtugs; Fig. 2, is an enlarged detail planof the coupling and locking device at the throat, taken on the brokenline c-d of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 represents a vertical section on the brokenline a-b of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, represents a vertical cross-section on thebroken line a of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5, is a front elevation of thehinge joint at the top of the collar, front portions of the tubed-endsof the sideha1ves 2 and 3' cut away to fully disclose the jointedcylindrical core; Fig. 6, is an underside or top side view of the core4: removed Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed September 1, 1909.

Serial No. 515,719.

from the halves; and Fig. 7, is a horizontal cross-section through theattached pad-tug and half 2, at the place of the pivoting of the pad-tugto the collar half 2 and showing a plan or top view of the adjusting andsupporting contrivance.

Throughout these several views the same part is indicated by a similarreference numeral.

In the horse-collar as generally constructed the after-Wale, belly ordraft-pad is nearly always substantially straight from bottom to topalong the shoulder bearing. And if the side halves of the collar are notof themselves unbendable they are rendered so by the application ofrigid hames between the fore and after wales of the collar. Therefore,in draft, greater pressure is brought against the top and bottom of theanimals shoulders, because of the prominence of the top or superior endof the scapula and its enlarged lower end at the point of articulationwith the humerusthe shoulder joint.

In designing and constructing my collar I have proportioned and disposedthe padtugs to bear against the intermediate natural cushion of musclesanteriorly crossing and lying along the central anterior and outsidelateral depression of the scapula. And the attaching tables or pad-tugseats 33, through which the pivoted studs 34 are disposed and riveted tofasten the forward ends of said pad-tugs to the halves 2 and 3 of thecollar, are disposed inwardly from the general inner line of the halvesas shown, to bring the forward ends of said pad-tugs close to the sidesof the animals neck and thus utilize the full lateral bearing surface ofthese intermediate deep muscled portions of the shoulders.

The right and left halves 2 and 3 composing the body of my horse-collarare preferably made from blanks stamped from sheet metal and then eachbent to the desired shape to form an integral half as shown. The topends are turned inwardly toward each other and laterally bent intotube-shaped ends to telescopically inclose, slide and revolve on thecylindrical jointed coupling-core 4. The bottom ends are. turnedinwardly toward each other and bent laterally preferably to formrectangular butting tube-ends to receive the adjustable coupling andlocking contrivance at the bottom or throat of the collar. Theintermediate inner edges are bent rearwardly to form a flange disposedfiatwise towardthe animals neck, and comprise the longitudinally curvedtop portions 28 and 29 having their lower ends curved inwardly towardeach other, the longitudinally curved bottom portions 50 and 51 havingtheir top ends curved in wardly toward each other and integralintermediate portions 33 and 33 vertically and longitudinally straightand rearwardly widened to form attaching tables for the pad-tugs. Theremaining intermediate portions of the blanks, which are of greaterwidth cent-rally to give the requisite strength and desired form, arelaterally bent to form a rearwardly opening longitudinal concavity andforwardly and longitudinally dis.- posed cross-conveXed face as shown inFigs. 1 and 7.

The core 4t has near one end the vertical cross-perforations 7 toreceive the pin 8 through corresponding perforations in the tubular topend of the half 3, whereby the longitudinal projection of said core isad justed and its base end fastened in said tubular top. The oppositeend of the core is close fitted to slide endwise in the tubular top endof the half 2 which is revoluble thereon. This core is also centrally jointedby the fork and tenon joint 6 having the pivot-pin 5 disposedhorizontally and centrally across therethrough; whereby, either or bothends fleX up or down carrying the halves 2 and 3 laterally out or in andallowing the throat ends of the collar halves to swing apart when theyare unlocked or to swing together to close the collar. A plateclip 9 isfastened on the top or front of the tubular top end of each half throughwhich the adjusting and retaining strapand buckle 10 is disposed toretain the tubular ends at any laterally adjusted distance apart on saidcore and still allow the tubular end of part 2 to oscillate thereon in aplane forward and backward at right angles to the axis of the core.

The collar is adjusted and supported at the desired height on theanimals neck, irrespective of the collar length, by an interposedsaddle:This saddle comprises the broad pad-piece 53 to bear on the topof the animals neck. This pad is fastened beneath the wide centralportion of the leather padsupport 52. The pad-support has long taperedends or stirrups the terminals of which are provided with the outwardlydisposed T-headed buttons 54, the shanks of which buttons are pivoted tosaid terminals in the eyelets 55. The upper curved portions 28 and 29 ofthe collar flanges have the longi-- tudinal slots 30, 30, etc., throughwhich said buttons are inserted and the T-heads turned crosswise tofasten the ends of the pad support' or stirrups and retain the saddlethe draft, or other hard usage.

desired height in the collar to support the collar at the desired heighton the animals neck.

The two pad-tugs 36 36 are made of heavy pieces of leather of greaterwidth at their forward ends where attached to the collar halves; theirrear narrow ends are stitched or otherwise fastened to the ordinarydrafttugs 39. The intermediate straight portions 33 33 of the flanges onthe halves 2 and 3 are disposed outwardly from the adjoining ends of thecurvedparts of the flanges above and below, offset suiiiciently to formrecessed seats of depth equal to the thickness of the pad-tug endsattached therein. The

forward edge 31 of each seat is curved outwardly,as shown by the shadingin Fig. 1 and in cross-section in Fig. 7,to ease the first bend in thepad-tug in fitting it to the shoulder and to avoid fracture thereof.Each pad-tug has a pivotal connection to the seat, consisting of anelongated reinforcing plate 35 disposed and fastened across the innerface of the pad-tug end. This plate has an integral central boss and acentral perforation therethrough countersunk on the inner face of theplate. The pivotal rivet 34 is disposed through the central perforation32 in the recessed seat, through the perforated boss and headed downsniooth'in the countersink on the inner face of the plate. Connected inthis manner the free end of the pad-tug may swing up to the positionindicated by the broken lines 40 40in Fig. 1,-or down to that indicatedby the broken lines 41 41, according to the direction of the draft.

The pad-tug adjusting and supporting contrivance consists of the braceor bridge-bar 42 disposed horizontally across the back concavity of theshaped collar-half and forward of the tug-pad,as shown in Figs. 1 and 7;the ends of the bar are bent downward and the inner end riveted to theoutside of the pad-tug attaching-seat and the outer end riveted near theouter curved edge of the half. This provides a central stay orcross-brace to the widest or central part of the half to prevent it fromcollapsing or becoming bent or distorted by the The adjustingbarconsists of the straight forward end portion 44: disposed across thebridge-bar; the bars each being provided with a longitudinal row ofvertical perforations to receive the connecting bolt 45 through bothbars; and the relative positions of the bars are changed by pairingdifferent perforations, in the dif ferent bars, to receive theconnecting-bolt. The central curved portion 46 ofthe ad justing-bar isdisposed through the verti Cally-elongated clip 48 and curved rearwardlytoward the pad-tug; this clip is fastened to project inwardly from theouter edge of the collar-half adjacent to the outer end of the braceorbridge-bar; theadjustposed elongated loop 47.; and the verticallyelongated clip 38 projected from the outer surface of the pad-tug isdisposed loosely through said loop; whereby, the clip may slide up anddown through the loop and backward and forward therein. When the pad-tugis bent to the curve indicated by the broken lines 37 in Fig. 7, to fita particular form of shoulder, the clip slides forward in the loop tothe position indicated by the broken lines 49.

The butting bottom or throat rectangularly-tubed-ends of the halves 2and 3, are coupled together, adjusted laterally toward and from eachother and controlled to swing independently forward and backward whilethe throat is coupled and locked without affecting said lateraladjustment. The mechanism by which I attain these results is illustratedand detailed in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 1:- The U-shaped coupling-bar is madeby bending a narrow middle portion of a flat bar to form the looped end13 which is adjustably fastened and carried in the tubed throat end, ofthe half 2, with the legs of the bar or loop disposed one above theother. At all points of adjustment the end portions 15 and 16 of thelegs project beyond the tubedend 2 to form a coupling-bar-head for thelock-coupling with the correspondinglytubed-end of the half 3.

The ends 15 and 16 of the legs are made wider than the looped end 13seeFig. 2 and are spaced farther apart by an adjacent upward bend in theupper leg and a like downward bend in the lower legas shown in Fig. 3-toform a slip-head close fitted in the tubed-end 3. The terminals arefinished with the clipped angles 18 to facilitate the insertion of thehead. The lower end portion16 has its terminal 17 bent upward tofacilitate the insertion of the sliphead and to form an inclined planeto depress the spring-actuated locking lug 25. The cross-bars 11 and 12reinforce and fasten-the joined edges or seams of the tubes and thelatter, 12, is impinged by the termiits terminal; they are fastenedtherein by the nuts 20 and 20 on the threaded projecting ends at thefront. A grooved-rim pulley 21 is interposed between the guide-bars andis of size to loosely engage both guidebars in its groove at itsdiametrically opposite edges, to revolve in a horizontal plane andtravel horizontally forth and back in this guide-way across the insideof the tubedend. This pulley is mounted between the top and bottom legsof the looped end 13 of the coupling-bar, to revolve on the verticalbolt-axle 22 disposed through both legs in one of the pairs ofcorresponding perfo rations 14:, 14 etc. The length of the hub of thepulley is equal to the space between said legs to carry the coupling-barsteadily as it moves forward and backward in the tubed-end retained atthe same relative position endwise by the pulley between saidguide-bars. In like manner the tubed-end 2 moves backward, independentlyof the tubed-end 3 and the coupling-bar locked rigidly therein, to theposition indicated by the broken lines 59-in Fig. 2-or to the oppositeforward position indicated by the broken lines 58; at the same timebeing held in the same lateral adjustment by the guidebars travelinginthe groove of the pulley fastened in the loop of the coupling-bar. Thus,allowing the lower ends of the collar halves, which halves are revolublyconnected by the cylindrical core joint at the top, to independentlyfollow the alternate forward and backward movements of the oppositeshoul-' ders of the animal while traveling; thereby contributing toperfect freedom of action while drawing a heavy load; this, withoutdisturbing the lateral adjustment of width of collar, as the throat endsmove in parallel planes the same distance apart at all points in saidforward and backward movements. By removing the guide-bars 19, thecoupling-bar may be withdrawn from the tubed-end, and the pulley andbolt-axle shifted to different perforations 14, to attain the desiredlateral adjustment for width of collar.

The locking device for the throat coupling consists of a centrallypivoted lever disposedon the underside of the tubed-end 3. The arm 23 isdisposed toward the end and against the underside of the tubed-end andcarries on its upper surface the upwardly projecting curved locking lug25; a corresponding aperture through the lower wall of the tube allowsthe curved tapered lug to pass up through to engage the correspondingperforation in the head end 16. The oppositely disposed arm 26 is offsetaway from the tube and the spring 27 interposed in the space between thearm and tube and fastened to the arm to actuate the lever and retain thelug in looking position.

Pressing the arm 26 toward the tube, against &

the action of the spring, throws the arm 23 down to the positionindicated by the broken lines 24 to draw the locking lug out ofengagement with the coupling-head which can then be withdrawn from thetubed-end 3 to open the collar.

Such ordinary clips as ma be required to carry a strap 56 and ring 5( tosupport or guide a martingale or to carry the usual holdback-strap maybe riveted to the front of the curved and bent halves as indicated or atsuch points as may be desired.

It is obvious that because of the vertically narrowed draft surfaceoffered by the pad tug it will during draft normally assume the positionof the softer muscle-cushioned depression of the scapula or shoulder;therefore, the internal supporting saddle 53, is adjusted so as not tocarry the collar any above the position it takes in draft, butpreferably a little lower. By this means no great weight comes on top ofthe animals neck, unless it be while standing still or in holding backthe load in passing down an inclined road; during a forward pull boththe top and bottom of the neck are free, if the collar is not too short.Further, the contact surface of the collar with the animal is reduced tothe minimum, to just that part best utilized for the draft, and to theintermittent touch of the internal saddle; other parts stand away givingperfect ventilation, freedom of shoulder action, avoiding scalding gallsand completely eliminating the causes of shoulder diseases arising fromcollar service.

The pivot connection of the pad-tugs to the halves not alone allows thepad-tugsto smoothly take the varied directions of draft, caused byvaried heights of bitch, but pre- Vents them from being wrinkled anddistorted by the swinging action of the halves in following themovements of the shoulders of the animal while it is traveling.

The lateral axial alinement of the top pivoting of the full-length rigidside-halves prevents these halves from twisting or rolling independentlyof each other on the animals shoulders and said pivoting is as nearlycoincident with the pivoted or muscleanchored tops or superior ends ofthe scapulae as possible. And the throat coupling assists the pivotalconnection of the sidehalves to retain said halves in immovable endwiserelation to each other. Therefore, the side-halves of the collar are notforced to slide endwise on the animals shoulders, nor can theyindependently do so, when the inclination of the shoulders and thesidehalves of the collar bearing thereon are changed in the verticalplane to different angles to the line of service draft by the animaltaking steps; thereby preventing rub-galls as well as alternatingmisplaced or changing pressure.

I claim: v

1. A collar comprising side-halves jointed together at their top ends tooscillate'inde pendently forward and backward, intermediateinwardly-projecting portions of said the corresponding end of theopposite side-v half to retain said ends in parallel planes the samelateral distance apart at all positions of forward and backwardmovement.

3. A horse collar comprising opposite side-halves double jointedtogether at their top ends to independently swing forward and backwardand laterally away from each other at their lower ends, vertically-swinging pad-tugs pivoted to said side-halves, and a coupling-bar mounted onthe lower end of one of said side-halves to freely slide for ward andbackward thereon in a direction agreeing with the direction of thealternating forward and backward movements of the animals shoulders intraveling and said coupling-bar adapted to be releasably andstationarily locked to the lower end of the opposite side-half to retainsaid lower ends in parallel planes the same distance apart laterally atall points of their forward and backward movement.

t. A collar comprising side-halves double jointed together at their topends to swing independently forward and backward and to swing laterallyaway from each other, central inwardly projecting portions of saidside-halves having inwardly opening recesses, pad-tugs pivoted in saidrecesses, and a forwardly and backwardly slidable coupling-bar attachedto the throat end of one half and adapted to lock stationarily to thethroat end of the opposite half.

5. A horse collar comprising rigid sidehalves having at their topsopposed cylin drically tubed ends normally in axial alinement, astraight cylindrical coupling-core having one end fastened rigidly inone of said tubed-ends the other end disposed in the opposite tubed-endto slide endwise and revolve therein, and an intermediate hinge joint insaid coupling-core between said tubed-ends to swing the lower endslaterally only at right angles to the service draft through the collar.

6. A horse collar comprising rigid sidehalves having at'their topsopposed cylindrically tubed-ends normally in axial alinement transverseto the direction of the working draft through the collar, a cylindricalcoupling-bar having one end rigidly fastened and adjustable in thedirection of its length in the tubed-end of one side-half, the other endof said coupling-bar disposed to freely slide endwise and revolve in thetubed-end of the opposite side-half, an intermediate hinge joint in saidcoupling-bar between said tubed ends, and means to retain the sliclableand revoluble end of said coupling-bar in said tubed-end.

7. A collar comprising side-halves having tubed-ends at the throatadapted to swing forward and backward on a pivotal joint at their topends, a guide-way disposed backwardly and forwardly across through onetubed-end, a coupling-bar having one end adapted to be stationarilylocked in the opposite tubed-end and the other end of said coupling-barconnected to follow said guideway.

8. A collar comprising side-halves having butting tubular throat-ends, apair of guidebars disposed forwardly and backwardly through onetubed-end, a coupling-bar having one end adapted to be stationarilylocked in the opposite tubed-end, a grooved pulley pivoted to theopposite end of said couplingbar and disposed to engage and travel for-1gvard and backward between said guidears.

9. A collar comprising side-halves having butting tubed-ends, a U-shapedcouplingbar having its looped end disposed in one of said tubed-ends, agrooved pulley mounted between the legs of the U on a bolt-axle disposedthrough both legs, a pair of guidebars parallelly disposed acrossthrough said tubed-end and through the groove at opposite sides of saidpulley to guide said pulley therebetween, and the free ends of said legswidened and spaced apart to form a closefitting coupling-bar headadapted to slip into and lock in the opposite tubed-end.

10. A collar comprising side-halves with opposed butting ends, a pair ofparallel bars ranged forward and backward to form a guide-way fastenedto one of said side ends, a laterally disposed coupling-bar having alongitudinal row of perforations and having a coupling-head adapted tobe locked to the opposite side end, a grooved pulley adapted to engageand travel between the bars of vsaid guide-way and mounted on abolt-axle adapted to be shifted to different perforations in saidcoupling-bar.

11. A collar comprising side-halves meeting in opposed tubed-ends, aU-shaped coupling-bar consisting of a narrow looped end having alongitudinal row of oppositelycorresponding perforations in each leg ofthe loop and the ends of said legs widened and spaced apart to form acoupling-barhead fitted for insertion in one of said tubedends, a lockon said tubed-end to fasten said head releasably therein, a pair ofparallelly ranged bars disposed across through the opposite tubed-endand between the legs of said loop, and a pulley having a peripheralgroove to engage said bars and travel therebetween and mounted in saidloop on a boltaxle disposed in corresponding perforations throughopposite legs of the loop,

12. A collar comprising oppositely disposed sides, pad-tugs attached tosaid sides, laterally extended supports disposed forward of saidpad-tugs, adjusting-bars hav-, ing their rear ends connected to saidpadtugs and having their forward ends connected longitudinally andlaterally adjustable to said supports.

13. A collar comprising sides each having a central portion concaved onits back surface, a pad-tug pivoted to the inner edge of said centralportion, a brace-bar disposed across said concavity in front of saidpadtug and having a longitudinal row of perforations, an adjusting-barhaving its rear end connected to said pad-tug and its forward end havinga longitudinal row of perforations any one of which may be brought toregister with any perforation of the brace bar to receive a fasteningbolt therethrough.

14. A collar comprising opposed sides each longitudinally concaved onits rear surface, a pad-tug pivoted to the inner edge of said side toswing edgewise vertically and flex flatwise outwardly, a brace-bardisposed across the concavity of the side in front of the outwardlyflexed pad-tug, an adjustingbar disposed loosely through a clip on theouter edge of said side its forward end having a laterally andlongitudinally adjustable connection to said brace-bar and its rear endlooped into a vertically elongated clip on the front or outer surface ofsaid pad-tug.

15. A collar comprising opposed sides each longitudinally concaved onthe back, a pad-tug fastened to the inner edge of said side to bendflatwise outwardly, a brace-bar disposed across the concavity of theside in front of said pad-tug, an intermediatelycurved adjusting-bardisposed through a clip on the outer edge of said side its rear endconnected to said pad-tug and its forward end having alaterally-and-longitudilrgally-adjustable connection to said brace- 16.A collar comprising opposed sidehalves with suitable couplings,inwardlyprojecting portions centrally disposed on said halves,rearwardly-projecting flanges along the inner edges of said halves andinwardly-projecting portions, and pad-tugs attached to the flanges atsaid inwardly-projecting portions.

and their outer ends fastened to the outer 10 edges of said concavedportions, and padtugs fastened to said attaching-tables.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN DIXON ABRAM.

Witnesses:

PAUL MCDONALD, LOUELLA ABRAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i

